text: PAVA primarily affects the eyes, causing closure and severe pain. The pain to the eyes is reported to be greater than that caused by CS. The effectiveness rate is very high once PAVA gets into the eyes; however, there have been occasions where PAVA and CS have failed to work&mdash;especially when the subject is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Exposure to fresh moving air will normally result in a significant recovery from the effects of PAVA, within 15&ndash;35 minutes.
  Pharmacologically, like other capsaicinoids, PAVA works by direct binding to receptors (TRPV1) that normally produce the pain and sensation of heat, as if exposed to scalding heat.